Arizona Beagle Rescue: Orvis Dog Enrichment Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

Many beagles come into our rescue with some very costly health issues. These are not old, crippled dogs but beautiful dogs still full of life and love. After necessary medical care, we help them to find their new home, one that will be their "forever" home. Unfortunately, we can only help as many dogs as we have funding for. An Orvis grant from the Petfinder Foundation allowed us to help additional dogs and continue to make sure that no beagle is left behind in a shelter or a lab.

One of our recent success stories is a dog named Ranger, who was abandoned in a remote campground. From being on his own for a while, he had developed a severe respiratory infection, prompting three nights at the animal hospital and a vet bill totaling $2,395.48. While this certainly put a significant dent in our budget, what happened next made it all worthwhile.

How many pets did this grant help?

1

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

In June 2015, Ranger was headed to a temporary foster home where he would live until he found his forever home. Little did the family realize they were to become Ranger’s forever home. The family’s pack of three beagles immediately welcomed Ranger as if he was an old friend. Ranger also bonded quickly with their 3½-year-old twins, especially their son. When Ranger wasn’t mingling with his new pack, he was often seen following their son around the house. Their son started calling him Ranger Danger. And so, the story begins …

A couple days passed and things were going well. Ranger was adapting to his new temporary home and the children loved him. What happened next was the sign that Ranger needed to become a permanent member of the family.

It was 2:30 in the morning and the father was awakened by Ranger’s howling, something that Ranger did not usually do. The sound was coming from down the hall, near his son’s bedroom, and he quickly went to investigate. When he opened his son’s bedroom door, he saw his son thrashing around in his toddler bed, having a severe asthma attack.

Thanks to Ranger being aware and in sync with their son, medication was quickly administered, and what could have been a potentially deadly situation was resolved with no ill effects. If it weren’t for Ranger, they wouldn’t have known their son was in distress. Ranger saved his life!

At that point, the family knew Ranger was dedicated, loving, and completely bonded with their family. It was at that moment that they truly knew Ranger was to become a permanent member of their family. The adoption was finalized and Ranger, or Ranger Danger, will never be without a home or family again.

There is a saying in rescue: “Who rescued whom?” Many times, we rescue a dog and learn that they too, will rescue us. And for this family, Ranger was there to rescue their son.